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Old 04-06-2017, 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Brasso4 View Post
Those .38spl Barnes loads looked wicked. All jacket. Can you imagine what that would do to soft tissue? Like a Ginsu knife.
I could be mistaken, but I think they tested this load only in .357 mag. I didn't see it in the .38 special lineup.



Just my own input.

I'll stick to discussing mostly 2" snub .38 special because that, along with a .45 and, yes, a pocket .380, are what I regularly carry-

Overall, you won't see good expansion and penetration much past 13-14" in 2" barrels, when a projectile actually expands well. That being said, .38 special ain't no .380, and making the 12" minimum with decent expansion isn't too difficult for many loads tested here. While many would call the .380 barely adequate or even inadequate for self defense especially from very short barrels, I'd call the .38 special mostly adequate even from a snubnose gun.

I wouldn't bother with anything tested here from Federal in my snubnose. I don't see their excellent new HST tested here so this is not an indictment of the brand at all. Just from what I see in this test (and I might go looking for some HST tests in .38 special just cause I'm curious now) I'd avoid Federal.

I also wouldn't bother with wadcutters for self defense these days, because there are a couple decent non- +p JHP loads that do very well as shown in this test. (The Hornady 110gr. Critical Defense FTX and the Winchester 130gr. Train and Defend are both decent loads at standard pressures).

The Hornady Critical Defense 110gr. FTX did ok overall, in my opinion, with very consistent performance even though it was puzzling to see the lack of penetration in the +p load from the 4" barrel. It looked decent in the 2", with all but one bullet pulling past the 12" mark for expansion of which was a very consistent and adequate spread to .48" average, and the non- +p load did so well in both length barrels that if someone wanted to find a good load without all the +p pop, thats what I'd suggest.
I'd stay away from the 90 grain load unless there is some other compelling reason to use it like extreme recoil sensitivity. I can't imagine that it would be that much lower in recoil then the 110gr non- +p that it justifies the sacrifice in performance, but some people might see things otherwise. I guess its an option, if you really need it.
The Hornady XTP loadings, however, were a washout in this test. Wouldn't bother with them in my snub.

The Remington Golden Saber 125gr +p didn't do too badly, it made ok penetration but in the 2" tube expansion was somewhat inconsistent(but still more then adequate). I'm continually impressed that for such a dated design, and in most calibers, it can hold its own vs. the newer stuff.

That Winchester 130grain +p PDX1 and Ranger Bonded did very well. But do note- in the 2" tube, it too suffered at least one round that fell short of the 12" mark and the PDX1 wasn't as consistent expansion-wise in the 2" barrel. Expansion was most impressive and consistent, however, with the Ranger load, and if you were looking for a bonded load for your .38 special I think this is just the ticket.
The Train and Defend stuff was ok, too. While not the most consistent in expansion, as a non +p load it deserves consideration for those seeking such based on its performance in this test.

Of note is how interesting it is to see that 110 grain bullets, when driven faster by either a longer barrel or by adding oomph by driving them to +p and +p+ levels, they seem to fall shorter, as demonstrated by the Hornady FTX +p load in the 4" barrel and the Winchester +p+. There seems to be a point of diminishing returns here, as you increase the velocity of the lighter 110 grain projectile.

The FBI load- With Remington, there was discussion here that I read that it had changed from the Express line to the HTP line. It seems like that may be the case as shown by velocity in this test, but the load still seems to be the only one (of the major manufacturers Federal, Winchester, and Remington) that -could- mushroom from a snub, if one is inclined to carry LSWCHP's over JHP's. I'd keep it around for practice and/or bulk (as its usually found reasonably priced and does more then FMJ), with the Buffalo Bore rendition for actual carry in either +p or non- +p. The upset displayed here for the Remington load in the 2" barrel used in this test seems to show that Remington should increase its velocity by just a mere 50fps overall, and it would be a top performer. As it is, its mediocre from a snub, but stellar from a 4".
Wouldn't even bother with the other manufactures renditions of the FBI load tested here. Maybe the Winchester if you have a 4" (or more) barrel and can find it for a song.

I'm not surprised by the performance of the Speer Gold Dot 135gr. As I said above, this isn't the first test I've seen it have consistency issues and issues penetrating heavy clothing barriers. But then in other tests it does well, and overall, the same can be said about all of these tests-

They don't always show the exact same thing happen.

I think this is because there are variables from the type of gun used to the gel shot, what people use in front of the gel, and the differences in lots of ammo.

And further, word of mouth from police and others who actually use a load is something to consider besides testing and the Gold Dot seems to have a good reputation from such.
I wouldn't write it off based on this test at all.

If I were to declare a "winner" here in .38 special it would be the 4" barrel.

In all seriousness- many of the loads tested here did well. I'd conclude that your best option would be to choose a good load from a reputable manufacturer that works well for you in your gun and stick with it.

Last edited by BoogersXDm; 04-06-2017 at 02:37 PM.
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